CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Journalism is the collection, preparation and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such media as pamphlets, newsletter, magazines, Radio, Motion Pictures, Television, the internet and books.
The earliest known Journalists product was a newssheet in ancient Rome called the ACTA DIURNA published daily from 59 BC, it was hung in prominent places and recorded important social and political events.
Journalism in the 20th century was marked by a growing sense of professionalism. In our society today it has been observed that female student Journalists have negative attitude towards taking Journalism as a career. This negative attitude is highly reflected in the number of mass media houses.
Almost all institution of higher learning in Nigeria offer mass communication courses leading to the award of various degrees
and certificates, including National Diploma, higher National Diploma, Bachelor, and masters degrees.
The increase in the number of female graduates from all these Institutions are not reflected in the media of communication in the country. Each Year, hundreds of female students graduate as mass communicators. A close look shows that the number of female Journalists students surpassed the number of males. But in the filed today, a good number of these female graduates are not seen working in the various media houses scatted all over the country.
Reference to the convocation booklets from these schools revealed that a good number of female mass communication students graduated from these schools. In the year 1997, about 150 female Journalists graduated from federal polytechnic Oko. The Ogun state polytechnic in the same year turned out about 86 female Journalist students. Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu had about 140 female graduates. Bida polytechnic had about 26 female graduates from the department of mass communication.
In July 1996, the Ogun state polytechnic turned out 146 female student Journalists in both OND and HND levels, The Institute of management and Technology (IMT) Enugu turned out about 120 female student graduates in both ND and HND levels (1996 convocation lists/booklets).
Similarly with other mass communication schools in the country for instance, in 1995, the convocation booklets of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, revealed that 45 female students graduated from the department of mass communication. In the year 2008, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka turned out about 58 female graduates from the department of mass communication. Between the year 2008 and 2009, Caritas University Enugu graduated over 50 female Journalists.
Presently, in my class in the department of mass communication, we are 54 students in number. 51 out of the 54 students are females while only three are males. In other levels, the number of female students surpassed the number of male students in the department of mass communication with a great difference.
In recent years, media houses in the western countries lack trained female Journalists in the various communication activities. Invariably, it has been the same in Nigeria and this could be seen in most cases of the media houses in Nigeria. There has been an imbalance in the number of female, and male trained Journalists working with them.
Those who are worried about this situation said that if there were more women than men seeking jobs in the media houses and they all have the same ability and background, more men get the jobs. (women in communication pg 8) she noted that women could only be awarded a job if they are had working and qualified, they must be awarded or offered a job in the Journalism profession.
The Enugu Television Authority has about twenty five trained Journalists on its staff. Five out of the twenty-five are female. The Daily star newspaper has only six female Journalists on its staff.
The situation is similar in other media institutions throughout Nigeria and in most western countries.